second of all the baseline gets reset if the tax cuts expire. everybody will propose a tax cut in january and right now we're fighting whether to increase taxes or not. you can see possibility of a deal seen as win-win for both sides. third, if republicans don't come up with a deal, a bad deal right now, they still have the $800 billion in revenue they put on the table from limiting deductions and loopholes that they can use to buy down rates. so i think the odds are, after january 1 we will get a deal and it will be much more favorable deal to the republican party because we'll have the leverage and president obama won't. heather: simon, basically what mark's laid out there would be more of a bunge jump over the cliff instead after nosedive, what do you think about the possibility, good thing or bad? >> i think it is going to happen whether it is good or bad. hopefully in the first week to 10 days of the new year with the new congress and a fresh start that the two parties will be able to come together and hash this thing out. i think republica